Don't Leave Me
by daydreambeliever321
Summary: When Will pushes himself to far, it's up to Bella to save him. Is Will going to survive? How is Sophie going to react once she finds out Bella is a mermaid? My take on Mermaid Magic; Will and Bella are already dating. REVISED VERSION, BUT SAME STORY. NEW SECOND CHAPTER!
1. Chapter 1: The Accident

**A/N: I** **was watching "Mermaid Magic" on YouTube and I got this idea. Hope you like it! BTW, this is the revised version and I'm going to be adding another chapter in-between chap.1 and chap.2. The story will now have six chapters. It will still end the same and all that, but I felt like I had missed something, so I decided that this was the perfect opportunity to fix it! For old readers, thank you for taking the time to re-check this out! To new readers: Enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own h2o just add water.**

Bella's POV:

"Watch this, sixty meters!" Will shouted angrily as he grabbed his goggles and began to slip on his flippers.

"Will, what the heck are you doing?" Sophie cried, "No you are NOT going through with this!" Will paid no attention to her however, and lowered himself into the water. The reality of what he was going to do hit me. He hadn't prepared at all for this dive; his heart rate was probably high, and his face was flushed with anger. I knew very little about professional diving, but it was obvious that diving under these conditions was madness, especially when attempting a depth of sixty meters.

"Will, please don't do this," I pleaded. He turned, "I'll be fine, it's okay." He said confidently. With a final glare at Zane, he dipped beneath the water and was gone before any of us could protest again.

The time passed. Seconds seemed like hours as we counted them off.

_**Thirty seconds.**_

_**One minute.**_

The number sixty balloon popped up. I let out my breath in partial relief; surely he would surface soon.

_**One minute-thirty.**_

_**Two minutes.**_

_**Two minutes-ten**._

I had been nervous since the first minute. It was taking him too long.

_**Two minutes-thirty.**_

I had to do something. I headed for the side of the boat, but Zane grabbed my arm. "Bella, no! What the heck are you doing?" He questioned sharply.

"He's in trouble; Zane, I can help him!" I cried, tugging at my arm, trying to get it free.

"Bella, this is Sophie, remember? She can't find out; you can't trust her!" He protested

_**Three minutes.**_

I was desperate.

"What's more important: my secret, or Will's life?" I sobbed.

Zane was silent.

Then he let go of my arm and without hesitation I dove overboard. I heard a cry from deck as I hit the water; probably from Sophie, but there was no going back now.

I transformed in the usual ten seconds. Usually I think that it's not long enough, but now I cursed those seconds, knowing that they could mean the difference of life and death for Will. I felt sick just thinking about that, and I started swimming down the rope, keeping my eyes open.

I passed the sixty-meter mark. Where was he? Then I saw something a few meters away, drifting below the seventy-meter mark. It looked…lifeless. I swam towards it quickly, fighting the panic that had lodged itself in my throat. It was Will. He was unconscious and his face was as white as a ghost and had begun to turn a slight shade of blue. I had to act fast. There was no way he could make it to the surface without air. I grabbed his shoulders and pressed my mouth to his, breathing a breathe of air into his mouth. I didn't know if it was enough, but I had to start making my way to the top. I grabbed Will's arm and thanked God that things were lighter underwater. He was still unconscious as I began to make my way at a sickeningly slow pace to the surface. I knew that if I went to fast, he could get the bends, which would kill him. Every marker seemed like eternity.

Finally we broke the surface, Will remained motionless and I couldn't tell if he was breathing or not. I looked up at the boat. Zane was looking at me in shock as if he couldn't believe what I was doing; exposing my secret to someone we weren't sure we could trust. Sophie was staring at me like I was some kind of a monster that had her brother in my grasps.

"Zane!" I shouted, desperate. Now that Will and I were half way out of the water, I was starting to feel his weight.

"Zane, stop staring and help me!" I cried. Will's weight was starting to pull me under again, and I knew that he needed medical help fast. Zane shook himself and reached for Will's arm, pulling him on deck. Will's eyes fluttered open and he glanced at me briefly before letting out a soft moan and shutting them again. Sophie was crying; I'd never seen her look so scared before. I think it was a combination of her brother's close call and my mermaid tail.

"What's that thing on…" her voiced trailed off and she pointed soundlessly at me. Zane shook his head.

"There's no time to explain; we need to get him to the hospital now!"

Sophie nodded, and stared another few seconds at me, then knelt by Will and started unzipping his wetsuit top.

"I'll meet you at the hospital," I said quickly, "Now get going!"

Zane nodded and ran back to the cabin. I swam several feet away so as to keep from getting caught in the boat's propellers. The boat roared to life and sped off in the direction of the mainland. Sophie turned and looked at me again, shaking her head in disbelief. Then she turned back to her brother, and the boat disappeared into the distance. Tears pressed against the back of my eyes, and I stifled a sob as I dove beneath the waves, heading for the secluded spot on the beach where I would be safe from prying eyes as I dried off. I had saved Will, but I only hope that I hadn't been too late.

* * *

I was walking through the doors to the hospital ER room. Zane had texted me which hospital they had taken Will to and said that they were en route to the Emergency Room. Apparently Will had drifted in and out of consciousness during the ambulance ride and was now in an almost comatose condition. I was shaking as I stepped up to the front desk and cleared my throat.

"Yes?" The lady behind it looked up.

"Um, I'm looking for Will Benjamin; he should have been brought in a little while ago."

The lady rifled through some papers. "Yes, here we are, what relation are you to Mr. Benjamin?"

"I'm his girlfriend," I said, a catch in my voice.

The lady looked at me sympathetically. "Don't worry dear; I'm sure he's going to be fine. Why don't you go in the waiting room with his sister? The doctor will go there first as soon as he has any news." She gestured towards a door to the left.

I nodded, "thank you," I said softly and then turned and walked through the door.

There was Sophie. She was sitting in a chair, her head in her hands.

"Sophie?" I said nervously. She lifted her head up like a flash and jumped up.

"How did you get here?" She asked. She didn't look scared or anything, just confused.

"I took a cab; I wanted to see if Will's okay."

Sophie shook her head. "Never mind Will for a second, what happened out there in the water?"

I gulped. "What – are you talking – about?" I stammered nervously.

Bella, don't try and lie about it. I saw _something_. Did I just imagine it, or did you become a…" her voice trailed off.

There was no point in trying to hide anymore. She had seen too much, and if I didn't explain things now, it would only get worse.

"A mermaid?" I finished for her. She nodded.

I was silent for a few seconds. She thought that she had imagined it. Considering all the stress she was dealing with now it probably wouldn't be too hard to convince her that she was indeed imagining things, but something inside me told me that she needed to know. I couldn't explain it, but I felt for the first time in my life that I could trust her.

I took a deep breath and motioned to the chairs. "I think you'd better sit down." I said. She sat, and I took the seat beside her. I tried to make it seem as simple and nonchalant as I could. (NOT easy, "I fell into the water one day during a magical full moon and now every time I touch water I grow a tail, and oh by the way I can also make water hard and turn it into jelly, nothing out of the ordinary really if you think about it." Yeah, I repeat, NOT easy.) Anyway, Sophie listened to every word I said and then shook her head in amazement.

"I don't believe it," she said in shock, "but yet I saw it."

"Trust me; it's true." I sighed.

"Wait, but you seriously have powers?" She asked suspiciously. I nodded.

"Watch," I said, walking over to the other side of the room where there was a small water cooler. I filled one of the small cups and brought it back to my seat.

"Hold this," I said, handing her the cup. She looked a bit apprehensive, but she took the cup. I placed my hand in front of the cup and twisted my wrist, bringing my palm up. The water immediately jelled.

Sophie's jaw hit the floor. "I don't believe it." She gasped, looking from the water to me, and then back at the water.

"And yet there's more," I said, slightly amused. I gave my wrist a sharp twist and the water hardened.

"Oh my god." She slowly reached her finger into the glass and touched the water.

"How did you do that?" She asked incredulously.

I shrugged. "Magic," I said quietly, re-jelling the water. I a few seconds it had returned to it's liquid form and I threw the cup in the wastebasket.

"You realize that this has to be kept a secret, right?" I said. I knew this was the turning point. If she wouldn't keep my secret then I was done for, and so were Cleo and Rikki. It wouldn't take much time before people realized that they were mermaids as well.

She stared at me again. "Is the water thing the only power you have, nothing else?" She questioned slowly.

"Nothing else, I swear." I said, raising my hand.

"And does Will know?" She asked finally.

I nodded silently. "For the past three months."

"And he's okay with it?" She pressed.

"Actually he seems to prefer it," I said with a smile.

Sophie smiled back, "Why am I not surprised?" She said, shrugged her shoulders lightly. "The ocean is practically his second home." She looked at me. "Bella, I can tell that you mean a lot to him, and I'm sure that this secret must be important to him as well. If for only his sake, I won't say anything. I'd do anything for him."

I placed my hand on her arm, "so would I," I said softly.

She gave a sad smile, "I think you've already proven that."

We sat in silence for several minutes, each thinking our own thoughts. Then something struck me.

"Hey, where's Zane?" I asked. "Isn't he here?"

Sophie shook her head, "He had to leave. Rikki's out of town for the next three days; I think she went with Cleo to visit a family member or something, and we both can't be away from the café at once. He offered to go so I could stay here. He made me promise to call him once we find out anything."

I shook my head incredulously. I knew Will and Zane didn't exactly like each other, but I guess almost killing Will kind of shook Zane up. I had never seen him actually care about another person except for Rikki. As I was thinking, a doctor walked out through the swinging doors to the right of the waiting room. My head snapped up, and I looked at him anxiously.

"Sophia Benjamin?" he inquired, reading off his clipboard.

That's me," Sophie said eagerly, "is he okay?"

The doctor looked up and motioned to the chair she had just vacated. "I think you'd better sit down."

I saw the blood drain from her face. She stiffly sat back down next to me and gestured for the doctor to continue.

"You're Will's sister, correct?"

She nodded numbly.

He looked pointedly at me. "And you are…?"

"Will's girlfriend," I finished for him.

"It's okay; she can stay," Sophie said quickly.

The doctor nodded and continued, "Well, your brother is very fortunate. Another ten seconds or so and his brain would have been dead for lack of oxygen. He's barely alive as it is, but he's responding well to our treatments and with proper rest and care he should be back to normal in no time."

"So he's going to be okay?" I asked, a catch in my voice.

"Yes, he'll be fine if there are no complications. We'll be keeping him here for the next few days under observation, but he's currently out of danger."

"Oh, thank God," Sophie gasped, wiping her tear-filled eyes. "Can I see him?"

"Yes, you can, one visitor at a time and not for too long. He needs to rest as much as possible at this stage."

He stood up, "which ever one of you is going to go first, come with me; I'll show you his room. Oh, and by the way," the doctor added. "Will regained conscious briefly during our examination and was mumbling something about a 'Bella' and a 'secret'. He blacked out again after that, and he didn't say anything else. He's resting comfortably now, but are either of you Bella?"

Sophie shot me a worried look and I stood up, my face having gone completely white by this point. "I'm Bella," I said quickly.

Sophie looked at me, "you should go first; he'll be wanting to see you."

I looked at her in surprise, "are you sure? You've been waiting and worrying here longer than I have."

She nodded firmly, "I'm sure," She leaned forward and pulled me into an awkward, yet warm hug. I had never been more surprised, but I hugged back.

"Now go on," she said, giving me a little push in the doctor's direction. I gave a weak smile and then turned to follow the doctor, who had begun to make his way towards the door.

We walked down several hallways before the doctor stopped in front of one door.

"Here's his room," he said, "you can go on in."

I thanked him quietly and stepped through the door. It shut with a slight *click* behind me and I heard the footsteps of the doctor as he walked away.

"Will?" I said softly, walking further into the room.

Then I saw him.

He was lying on the hospital bed, asleep. He looked white as a ghost and there was an IV drip attached to his arm. I quietly pulled a chair up next to his bed, took his limp hand in mine, and pressed it to my face. I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks. I don't think I could bear it of something were to happen to Will. He's everything to me; I'd rather die with him then live without him. I released his hand and set it down carefully on the crisp white sheets. I sat in silence for a few minutes; staring at his face, memorizing every detail and thinking about how close I had come to never seeing it again.

I was thinking about going to get Sophie; I didn't want to make her wait too long, when I heard a sound that seemed to have come from Will. I froze and stared hard at him. Sure enough he shifted restlessly and his eyes fluttered open. He blinked a few times and then shook his head slightly, wincing in the process.

"Bella?" He mumbled weakly, squinting at my face.

"Yeah, it's me," I said, a smile beginning to spread across my face. He attempted to sit up, but fell back on his pillows feebly.

"Take it easy," I scolded gently. "Do you know how much you scared me?"

He managed a small grin. "Sorry," he mumbled groggily, "what happened?"

"You got mad at Zane and tried to dive too deep too fast I think. You blacked out."

Will looked confused for a few seconds. "If I blacked out, how did I get back to the surface?" He croaked.

"Well...ummm," I wasn't quite sure how to explain that. Should I tell him it was me who had rescued him? I didn't want him to freak out about Sophie knowing my secret. Unfortunately, Will answered my question for me.

"Wait – I saw you in the water...for a second...With your tail – Sophie – Bella!" His eyes got wide, and he looked at me in shock.

I placed my hand on his and quietly put my finger to his lips. "Shhhhh babe, it's okay. I explained everything to her in the waiting room and she promised she wouldn't tell."

He sighed in relief, but then broke into a coughing fit.

I looked at him worriedly. "Are you okay? Should I call someone?" I said quickly. He placed his hand in the air and shook his head slightly. Finally he stopped coughing and looked at me with awe.

"You seriously risked you secret for me?" he questioned hoarsely. "What if Sophie hadn't kept it? What if she had told someone? What if she does anyway? What if – "

His voice was cut off as my lips crashed into his. I pulled away after only a few moments though; he didn't need anything that required him to hold his breath at this point.

"What if you hadn't made it?" I finished. "I would never have forgiven myself for letting you die when I could have saved you." There were tears in his eyes, and I could feel them running down my cheeks as well.

"I love you." I whispered softly.

"I love you too," he whispered back, his voice cracking slightly. He reached out and pulled me into a tight hug. He finally let go and eased back onto his pillows. I sat down again and we were both silent for a few seconds. He closed his eyes and I just rubbed him hand gently. After a few minutes had gone by, I looked at my watch and saw that I had been in here for almost twenty minutes. I stood up slowly, releasing Will's hand.

"I'm going to go get Sophie." I said. "She's so worried about you."

Will's eyes opened, and he reached for my hand again. "Don't leave me, please?" He begged weakly.

I leaned over him and kissed him gently on the forehead. "I'll be back soon," I promised. He nodded sleepily and closed his eyes again; he was exhausted. I tiptoed silently out of the room and closed the door quietly behind me. Once outside I breathed a sigh of relief. Will was okay, and my secret was safe.

**A/N: what do you think? Should I continue? I'm still working on my other story, but I really like where this is heading. Review and let me know! Thanks for reading!**

**Ella** :)


	2. Chapter 2: The Big Picture

**A/N: Okay, this is a NEW chapter because I felt that I skipped from Will being in the hospital to Will being back to normal a little too fast. I also forgot something very important that had to do with Sophie…can any of you guess what it is? Well, you're about to find out! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own H2O just add water**

CHAPTER 2

Sophie's POV:

It was two day after the accident. Will was still in the hospital, being kept under close observation, but they said that it wouldn't be much longer before he could leave. They said all he really needed was rest, but that they were keeping him here to make sure that he didn't have any nasty after effects. I had spent last night here, but Bella insisted that I should go home and get some rest myself; I obviously haven't slept much. She had called a few minutes ago and had said that she would be here soon. Will had been sleeping on and off and just now I looked up to see him waking up from another nap.

"Sophie?" He mumbled groggily, turning in my direction.

"Yeah, I'm here," I said, shifting my chair so that I was facing him. "How do you feel?"

He yawned sleepily, "Like I was hit by a truck." He answered, cracking a weak smile.

I smiled sympathetically. "Do you still have a headache? Because the doctor left some pain medication."

He shook his head. "No, there's no pain; it just feels like my head's been stuffed with cotton."

"Bella's on her way," I said, knowing that that would cheer him up. I was right, a smiled instantly flitted across his lips, but was quickly replaced by a look of seriousness. "I wanted to talk to you about something." He said slowly.

"Which is…?" I questioned.

"Bella," he said simply. "I know that she told you that she's a mermaid."

I looked at him seriously. "If this is about whether I'm going to tell or not, than you can relax because I already told Bella I wouldn't."

He shook his head, "No, she told me that too, and I believe you. It's just that I want to make sure you understand the enormity of the situation."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "I know she's a mermaid; what else is there to understand?"

He sighed. "Remember that time when you found me a diving sponsor, and I blew the whole thing, practically forcing you guys out of the pool area?" He said.

I nodded. "How could I forget?" I sighed, "That was the opportunity of a lifetime."

"Exactly," he said, "It WAS an opportunity of a lifetime, but I let it go – for Bella."

My mouth dropped open. "Are you serious?" I asked incredulously, "Why? What did Bella have to do with it? She wasn't even there." Then I checked myself, the girl was a mermaid, and I suppose anything could be possible. "Or was she…?" I said suspiciously. Will wouldn't look at me.

"She was in the pool." He said quietly. "I had asked her to come in to show me some diving techniques; she is an expert after all." He smiled ruefully. "She didn't want to come in, but I begged her, and then you guys came, and I couldn't let her get caught. That's what I'm trying to say," he finished, looking me straight in the eyes. "Knowing this secret is more than just promising to never tell. It's promising to make every sacrifice necessary in order to make sure the secret is kept."

"Sophie, it's her life we're talking about." He continued softly. "I know how you felt about her previously, but I love her, and I don't think I could live without her."

I nodded solemnly. "I'll admit that I didn't like her in the beginning, but that was only because I didn't want to see you get hurt. I could tell you were serious, but I didn't know if she was, and I didn't like the idea of you being messed with. I see now though that her love is genuine, and I'm fine with the idea of you two being together." I looked at him seriously. "And I understand about the secret, and I promise you that I'll do anything and everything to make sure that no one else ever finds out."

He smiled slightly and reached out to give me a hug. I leaned forward and hugged him back.

"As long as we're on the subject of Bella," I said, settling back into my chair. "Exactly how serious about her are you?"

He grinned, "More serious than I've ever been about anything,"

"You mean, possible marriage serious?"

He thought about that for a second. "I think so.' He finally said. "If the right time came along, and it would have to be _awhile_ from now, but I've definitely thought about it."

"You do realize," I said slowly, "That if you were to marry her, and you were to have kids, there's no guarantee if they'll be completely human, right?"

He was silent for a moment. "Yeah, I realize that, and honestly, it's not a big deal. If we had kids, I'd love them whether they were human or mer, simply because they were a part of Bella. They would be ours, a part of us; it wouldn't matter what or who they were."

Now it was my turn to be silent. "Then I guess you are serious." I said quietly, flashing him a small smile. He returned it, but his eyes soon darted away from mine and turned to the doorway. Bella had just walked in.

"Hey," she said, holding a balloon in one hand. "I hope I'm not interrupting something."

I shook my head. "Not at all," I said.

Bella's POV:

Will grinned. "That's quite a balloon," he said, looking up at the shiny, mylar mermaid holding a conch shell containing the words 'Get well soon!'"

"I thought it was very appropriate," I said with a smile, setting it down on the floor by the side of the bed. I looked around to make sure that no one was in the general area. "When you're feeling better, you can see the real thing," I said softy, winking at him. Then I turned to Sophie.

"I'll be here for a few hours; as long as you like. Now go home, and relax." I ordered playfully. Sophie stood up reluctantly and picked up her purse.

"Okay, but promise you'll call me if anything happens, or if you need anything, or if anything… " I nodded.

"Uh huh, yes I will, definitely, uh huh…" I muttered as I carefully walked Sophie out the door, shutting it firmly behind her.

"That was brilliantly done," Will congratulated. I smiled.

"How do you feel?" I asked, taking Sophie's vacated seat.

"Better," he said, "Especially now that you're here." I locked my eyes with his and began to lean forward. He raised his head a bit and our lips met. I wanted the kiss to last forever, but he broke off after only a bit; it would be a while before his lungs were back to full working capacity.

As I sat back done, Will cleared his throat a bit nervously.

"I talked to Sophie about…you know…" he said slowly, "…and I don't think we have anything to worry about."

"Well I'm glad of that," I sighed, relieved. I knew Sophie and I had settled everything yesterday, but it was nice to have it doubly confirmed.

"And I can't even BEGIN to thank you for what you did…it's just…mind-boggling that you would risk it all, everything, just for me." He said, shaking his head in wonder. I shook my head and frowned.

"Will, I don't believe you're getting the big picture here." I said firmly, holding his hand between both of mine and squeezing it gently. "I love you," I said softly. "When you love someone, you make sacrifices. I would have jumped in that water to save you if the whole world had been watching; it wouldn't have made a difference. And I know that you would do the same for me"

He just stared at me.

"I…don't know what I've ever done…to deserve someone like you," he finally said a bit shakily. I smiled lightly.

"Whatever it was, it must have been pretty bad, and I'm guessing you're getting what you deserve!" I teased. He laughed for the first time ever since the accident and pulled me into his arms. I shifted over so that I was now lying down beside him.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too."

**A/N: Okay, this should clear up everything, not to mention add some cute wella moments to the story! I personally LOVE the part about the balloon! :) I hope this wasn't too similar to the previous chapter. Please review; this is a new chapter after all! Thanks to everyone for reading!**

**Ella:)**


	3. Chapter 3: I Should Have Done Something

**A/N: OMG! I got reviews! EEEEKKK! I'm so excited! :) :) I know it's kind of silly, but I didn't expect much feedback for this at first; my other story took awhile before it caught on. Anyway, here's chapter two; it's got some Will/Sophie brother/sister moments. I would have posted it sooner, but I had no idea that I would be asked to continue! Enjoy!**

Chapter 3

Sophie's POV:

Will was finally home. They had released him from the hospital this morning, three days after his accident, with instructions for complete rest for the next week. He had been very tired after we got home, all the process of actually leaving the hospital having worn him out. He was still asleep now and it was about 1:00 in the afternoon. I was sitting in his room reading a magazine, but it was hard to concentrate. I knew Will was okay now, but it was still hard for me to not be freaking out like I was before. I had almost lost my little brother (granted he's bigger than me, but that's not the point), and I never wanted something like that to happen again. I heard Will shift restlessly next to me, and I looked up to see him yawn and stretch his arms as he woke up. He turned in my direction and grinned sleepily.

"Hey," he said, lying back against his pillows.

"Hey," I replied, setting down my magazine. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay." He yawned again, "A little tired maybe, but overall okay."

"That's good," I said relieved, "do you want to get up and rest on the couch for awhile? It might be a nice change."

"Okay, sounds good." He said sitting up slowly. Once we were in the living room, I got him a blanket and he settled himself on the couch, pulling the blanket over his knees.

"Anything else you need?" I asked.

"Tea would be nice, but don't worry about it; I can make it myself." He said, beginning to get up.

"No, no, no, no, no I'll make it." I said motioning for him to sit back down.

"Soph, I'm perfectly capable to boil water and stick a tea bag in it; I'm not crippled!" Will protested.

"No way; you need to rest. I'm making the tea, and you're going to lie down." I said sternly, getting up and walking into the kitchen. Will sighed exasperatedly and lay back down. I set the water to boil and started hunting for the tea. When it was ready, I brought it out and found Will flipping through the diving magazine I had left out on the coffee table.

"I can't believe I was so stupid, diving without preparing like that." He said, shaking his head and putting down the magazine as I handed him his tea. He took a sip and wrapped both hands around the mug. "I was such an idiot. Remind me in the future to plug my ears and close my eyes whenever Zane's around, maybe then I can refrain from killing myself, and possibly him."

I laughed, "I'll try and remember," I said playfully. I stepped back into the kitchen for a few moments to clean up when I heard a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" Will called.

"Oh no you won't. Don't move a muscle!" I shouted, hurrying into the living room.

"Sophie!" Will moaned.

"Will!" I imitated back. I'd almost forgotten how annoying my brother could be; it brought back memories.

* * *

"_Sophie!"_

"_Go away, I'm busy!"_

"_Please Soap, I'm bored!" Will pleaded._

"_Well guess what? I'm not, and don't call me 'soap'" I snapped, trying to shake the nickname that had resulted when Will was two and had tried to say "Sophie". It hadn't come out quite right and I had been "Soap" to him ever since. I suppose it was better than "Soapy" which was the original version of the nickname. I shuddered at the thought_

"_Whatever you say soap." Will said with a mischievous smile on his face._

"_Aaarrgh! You are so annoying! Get_ _out!" I screamed, getting up off my bed and chasing him out the door._

"_Okay, okay, I'm going!" Will snapped, "You're such a meanie!"_

"_Call me what you like, just GET OUT!"_

"_Fine!"_

"_Fine!"_

_My eight-year-old brother stormed out, and I climbed back on my bed with my Nancy Drew book. I loved to read. Our class was having a Readathon and I was expecting to walk away with first prize, which was fifty dollars cash, a lot of money for a twelve year old. I was engrossed in the part where Nancy was just about to catch the criminal when I heard a screech of tires coming from the road outside, followed by a scream that sounded like it came_ _from my mother. I leaped out of bed and ran down the stairs faster than I'd ever done before. Our screen door was wide open and I dashed outside, seeing a car stopped in front of my house, a strange man with a cell phone pressed to his ear and my mother kneeling by a small figure on the opposite side of the road. My breath caught in my throat and I thought I was going to be sick. That couldn't be…I didn't even want to think about it. I forced myself to walk quickly over to my mom. I reached her and looked down. _

_It was Will, lying on the ground with his leg bent in an odd angle and tears streaming down his face. _

"_What happened?" I cried, kneeling next to my mom and grabbing Will's hand. _

"_I wanted to get my soccer ball," Will sobbed, "but then the car came. Soap, I'm scared!" _

_Guilt washed over me like a bucket of water, leaving me weak and dizzy. If I had gone out to play with him instead of reading my stupid book, I would have been able to see the car. I should have been looking out for him; isn't that what a big sister's supposed to do? I swallowed hard._

"_You're going to be okay Will; it wasn't your fault." I choked. "_It was mine_," I added silently to myself. Just then I heard the ambulance sirens as they pulled up the road. The man with the cell phone came rushing up to us. _

"_I am so sorry," he said, pale with shock, "I didn't see him, and it was just after I came up a hill, and I was going too fast to stop, and I…"_

_My mom cut him off tearfully, "it's alright, it wasn't your fault; it was nobody's fault." _

_Nobody's fault._

_Nobody's fault._

* * *

"Sophie? Hey Soph, you okay? Sophie!"

I snapped out of my daze.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine, sorry," I apologized, wringing my hands together and walking towards the door. I opened it and saw Bella, Rikki, and Cleo on the other side.

"How is he?" Bella asked immediately.

"Bella told us there was an accident, is everything alright?" Cleo cried.

"Come in, but he really needs to rest so you can't stay long," I said, opening the door a bit wider.

"Sophie, it's alright; I feel a lot better, really," Will called from the couch.

I shook my head, "He refuses to stay put; you have no idea all the trouble I've had with him this morning," I scolded teasingly. Will rolled his eyes and turned to Bella.

"Come here; I want to hug you, but if I move Sophie will kill me!" He joked. Bella climbed on the couch with him and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hair. "I've missed you." He whispered softly.

"I've missed you too." She whispered back. He tilted her chin up and kissed her gently.

"Awww," Cleo murmured.

Rikki rolled her eyes and cleared her throat loudly. I smiled as Will and Bella broke apart, both smiling sheepishly.

Rikki plopped herself down on the chair next to the couch and turned to face Will.

"Tell us what happened," she demanded, "Bella has yet to fill us in; she's been too busy worrying about you."

Will grinned and tightened his arm around Bella a bit. She snuggled into his chest and sighed contentedly.

"Well, actually it was really all my fault –" he began, but Bella cut him off.

"Don't be ridiculous, it was NOT your fault, Zane was being a jerk." She turned apologetically to Rikki. "Rikki, I'm sorry but he was really out of line."

"What did he do this time?" Rikki sighed. Will and I exchanged glances.

"Come on, come on; tell me so that way I'll have an excuse to yell at him." She encouraged.

"You tell her Sophie," Will said. "I'm kind of tired."

I couldn't help but notice that he was looking pale. I locked eyes with Bella, and we gave each other knowing glances.

"Okay, I'll do the talking, just sit tight and relax." I said hastily. He nodded tiredly and closed his eyes. Bella hugged him tightly.

"There's not all that much to tell really." I began. "Zane dived and went down to forty meters on the first time down, something's that's not really possible if you're not experienced. He somehow made it back and taunted Will about how he had only dived thirty meters. Will got angry and dived without preparing, and then passed out. Bella dived in to rescue him and –"

"Bella WHAT?" Cleo and Rikki shouted at once. I looked at Bella. "You didn't…?" She shook her head.

"Uh oh," She said, looking from Cleo to Rikki. They both glared at her.

"Bella…" Cleo said warningly, "Is there something you're supposed to be telling us right about now?"

"I'm sorry guys, but Sophie found out about me, it was Will life or my secret and I had to save him; I had to try." She looked at them nervously.

"The doctor said any longer and he would have died." I added.

Cleo sighed, "Bella, did you tell her everything?"

Bella shook her head and Cleo looked at Rikki.

"I think we should; it's only a matter of time." Rikki said.

"Tell me what?" I asked curiously.

"Sophie, we're all mermaids, me, Cleo, and Bella." Rikki said bluntly.

My eyes widened, but I soon realized how logical that was. They were always together, and they would always swim together with Will. I was surprised that I hadn't figured it out myself after Bella first told me.

"That makes sense," I said slowly, "and you don't have to worry; I'm not going to tell anyone."

Cleo sighed with relief. "Thanks Sophie, I guess we underestimated you." She said apologetically. I smiled.

"It's okay, I'm just glad everything turned out alright." I said.

Bella shook her head. "I'm really sorry that I didn't tell you guys that she knew sooner; I know it seems terrible that I threw it all away like that, but there was nothing else for me to do." She looked from one girl to the other. "I'm so sorry," she repeated.

Cleo reached out and put her hand on Bella's shoulder, "Bella, we're NOT mad at you." She said kindly. "I don't blame you; I would have done the same thing for Lewis."

Rikki nodded in agreement. "And I would have done it for Zane – I think."

Will chuckled, "What do you mean, 'you think'?" He asked, cracking one eye open.

"After what he did, I don't know." She growled. "I can't believe that jerk; he could have killed you!" Will grinned slightly at the intensity of her anger, and then shook his head, wincing in the process.

"Will, are you alright?" I asked quickly.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a headache," he nodded, and then winced again. "I've GOT to stop doing that!" he groaned, rubbing his temple.

"Will, you really should get some rest, maybe you should take another nap?" Bella said seriously, placing her hand on top of his.

He looked down at her. "I know you're right," he said, nuzzling her neck a little. Then, out of the blue, he kissed her hard.

"Will!" she squealed playfully, pushing him away, "That doesn't qualify as resting!"

"No, but it'll give me something awesome to dream about," he chuckled.

Rikki made a face and stood up, "and I think that's my cue to leave." She said. "I have some 'things' to take care of."

"Rikki…. what do you mean by 'things'?" Cleo questioned suspiciously.

"There's a certain person who needs to be yelled at because of his pathetic ego…that's the first thing anyway." Rikki stormed out of the boathouse before Cleo could say another word, mumbling something about a "jerk".

Cleo shook her head after her. "I'd better be going too; hope you feel better Will." She said as she walked out the door.

Bella sat up, "I'll see you again later, get some rest okay?" She kissed him gently on the cheek, letting her hand linger on his arm.

"I'll try," he mumbled, hugging her again before she got up.

"Bye Sophie, I'll see to you later," she said as she opened the door.

"Okay, I'll call you if he gets difficult again," I grinned. She laughed and left, closing the door silently behind her.

"How bad is your headache?" I asked as soon as she was out the door, fixing his blankets around him as he settled down.

"Pretty bad," he admitted, taking a sip of his tea.

"Will, I'm sorry." I said softly, sitting down beside him.

"Sorry? For what? That you got a lemon seed in my tea?" Will teased, fishing the offending seed out with a spoon.

I sighed, "No, not for that, for all this," I motioned towards him.

"For what? You mean the accident?" Will asked incredulously. I nodded silently.

"Soph, you can't possibly be blaming yourself for that. It was my fault entirely; I totally screwed up. Maybe I had a little help from Zane, but still, it had nothing to do with you."

"Yes it did, I should have tried harder to stop you." I cried, standing up. I could feel tears pushing against the back off my eyes.

"Will, I almost lost you – forever," I choked. "I should have done something; I'm sure I could have convinced you if I had tried. Every single time I've blown it." A sob escaped from my lips. I heard Will standing up, but I didn't bother to tell him to sit back down. I felt him pull me into his arms, and I buried my face in his chest. He held me close and stroked my hair.

"Hey, take it easy. It's okay; I'm okay; everything is fine," he murmured softly. "There was nothing you could have done; I can tell you now that you could never have changed my mind. I was going to make that dive no matter what. It was stupid, but you couldn't have made me think otherwise even if you had talked for the rest of your life."

I sniffed, "Really?"

"Really." he replied. "But what do you mean 'every single time'?" He asked curiously. "When was the other time?"

"When we were little remember? You got hit by a car and broke your leg; you had to be in a cast for two months."

"Yeah, I remember that, but how in the world do you make that your fault?"

"You asked me to play with you, and I told you to go away. If I hadn't, you would have been fine. That car could have killed you, you could have drowned just three days ago…"

"Sophie, you can't live like this." Will interrupted sternly, "Everything happens for a reason, and these two accidents were no different. Don't blame yourself for everything. What would you say if I told you that I blamed myself when you got in that car accident last year? Remember? When you had a concussion and they made you stay in the hospital for two days."

"That's silly," I said, startled. "I was driving; you weren't even in the car. How could you blame yourself?"

Will shrugged. "I could have driven you myself; I could have done _something_."

"That makes no sense; how were you to know that a car was going to pass a light? That's crazy."

"See?" He said, "You're being the same way. How were you to know that a car would run across the road and hit me? How would you know that I wasn't going to make it back from that dive okay; I've dove that deep before; I could have just been lucky this time."

I was quiet.

"I guess you're right." I said slowly.

"Of course I am," He grinned weakly and kissed me on the cheek. I hugged him, but I could tell he was very tired.

"Now," I said, drying my eyes, "go and take that nap, you look like you could use it."

"I'm not going to argue with you there," he agreed as he lay down without a protest. I tucked the blankets around his shoulders and sat by his side until he fell asleep.

**A/N: This chapter was LONG! I was really happy with how it turned out though. The conversation between Will and Sophie was originally going to be between Will and Bella, but that wouldn't make sense because she DID do something; she exposed her secret and saved his life. I feel like Sophie's character is never given enough time to expand, like Will's and Bella's, so that's why this chapter was from her POV. I was a little skeptical about writing her POV for a complete chapter, but I think it came out good! Thanks for all your amazing reviews! I was so excited! Review please and tell me what you think! I have vacation this week, so if you review soon I might update again this week! :) Be sure and check out my other H2O story, Hold On Tight. It's a Wella fic too. :) Thanks so much for reading! Luv ya!:):)**


	4. Chapter 4: Nightmares

**A/N: Yay! Here's chapter four. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! :) I forgot a disclaimer last time, sorry!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own H2O just add water, I especially do not own the episode Mermaid Magic. There, you satisfied! :)**

CHAPTER 4 (_about a week/two weeks after the previous chapter_)

Will's POV

_It was dark. So dark. I couldn't see anything. The sixty-meter mark was there. It was just out of reach. I stretched for it, but I couldn't quite grasp it. It disappeared before my eyes, and I felt disoriented. Everything went dark. Something was pressing on my chest; I couldn't breath. My heart started racing. My arms and legs were bound tight; I couldn't move them. I tried to scream but I choked on the words. It was dark. So dark. I couldn't breath; I was suffocating._

"Will? Will, are you okay?"

_I heard a voice, but I couldn't make out what it was saying; it was so far away. Something was shaking me. I wanted to get away from this nightmare. I tried to speak, but my throat froze, and I could only moan._

"Will? Oh my god, Will, wake up!"

My eyes flew open, and I grabbed at the closest thing in reach, not even knowing what it was. I gasped for air and started breathing hard. My heart was beating double time and I clutched my stomach with one hand, trying to still the sick feeling that threatened to overwhelm me.

"Will, it was just a dream. Try and calm down."

"Sophie?" I mumbled, releasing her hand. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize…"

"It's fine," She said, sitting down on the side of my bed and rubbing my shoulder gently.

"Will, you're shaking!" She exclaimed. "Are you okay?"

I hadn't even noticed, but I _was_ shaking, and yet sweating, all at the same time. "I…I don't know." I whispered. "I don't know."

"Let me get you some water, lie down okay?" She stood up and headed for the door, flicking on a small lamp as she left. I lay back down and closed my eyes. In a split second, the red sixty-meter mark appeared in front of them and I shot back up, blinking my eyes in disbelief. So that was it. The water, the darkness, it all led back to the accident. I groaned and collapsed back on my pillows just as Sophie came in with a small glass of water. She handed it to me, and I took a small sip, the cool liquid calming my queasy stomach.

"Do you remember what it was about?" Sophie asked quietly.

I didn't say anything at first.

"I was in the water." I began slowly.

"I couldn't breath, and I was really scared."

"The accident," she breathed.

I shrugged, "it's probably just a one time thing, I'm feeling better already." And I really was. My heartbeat felt normal again, and I was only shivering slightly. But I had a feeling that this nightmare wasn't going to be the last.

(_Two days later_)

It was early in the afternoon and Bella and I were walking down the beach, getting some fresh air.

"It's beautiful today," she commented, looking up at me.

"Yeah, it reall –" I yawned in the middle of my sentence and covered my mouth hastily.

"Sorry," I apologized sheepishly.

"You know, that's at least the fourth time you've yawned since we've been walking. Am I really that boring?" She teased

I tried to explain, "No, no, you're not boring it's just that…" but she cut me off with a soft kiss on my lips.

"Relax, I was only kidding." She assured me, "but really, is everything okay? You look really tired."

I sighed, "I am; I didn't sleep well; I was up most of last night."

She looked worried, "Is everything alright?"

"Well…"

"Will, come on, tell me," she pressed, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine – I think," I added as an afterthought.

"What do you mean, 'you think?'" She asked suspiciously.

I paused briefly. "Why don't we sit down and I'll tell you." I said finally.

Bella immediately plopped down right where she on the sand, and patted a spot next to her.

"Sit," she ordered. I chuckled, and sat down next to her.

"So, what's going on?" She asked.

"Well, it's nothing serious," I began. She breathed a sigh of relief. "But," I continued, "I've been having nightmares about the accident for the past few nights and I'm not sure what I should do to stop them."

"Has it happened every night?" She asked quietly.

I nodded. "For the past three days."

"Oh baby, that's terrible, no wonder you've been looking so exhausted." She exclaimed as she hugged me. "Have you thought about seeing a doctor?"

"Yeah, but I don't think it's that serious – yet anyway." I said. "Maybe if it keeps on for another few days, but I can't imagine that it would. I think I just need time to get over the whole thing."

"And you do realized that you haven't been diving ever since the accident, don't you?" She pointed out.

"Well yeah, but that was doctor's orders, no diving for three weeks minimum."

"The time's almost up. That could help, maybe a new dive will replace the memories of the old one."

"It's an idea anyway." I leaned closer to her and put my arm around her shoulders.

"Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?" I said dreamily, staring into her beautiful eyes.

Bella giggled, "a few times, yes."

"Well that's not enough," I argued playfully. I reached out and tickled her sides.

"Oh my god Will stop! Will!" she shrieked, rolling on the sand, trying to get away from me. I flopped on the sand too, grabbed her wrists gently, and climbed on top of her.

"You're my prisoner," I teased, nuzzling her nose.

"And who said that that's a bad thing?" She quipped.

I chuckled and leaned down to kiss her. I could feel my energy coming back already.

**A/N: Since the last chapter was so long I decided that it was okay to make this one a bit shorter. It's mainly a filler chapter, but the beginning was kind of crucial. I plan to devote myself to my other story for the rest of the week, but you never know! :-) Review please and let me know what you thought of this chapter! Thanks so much for reading! :)**

**Ella:)**


	5. Chapter 5: Now That You're Here

**A/N: Hi! Sorry I haven't updated this story for a while, but I've been a bit busy with my other H2O stories. Note to readers of the POWERS UNFATHOMABLE TRILOGY: I made some slight revisions to the final chapter of Hold On Tight. I thought the fight was a bit too slapdash, so I added a few lines, but I didn't change any of the original wording or anything. If you'd like, go check out the changes! :)**

**Okey Dokey, here's the fifth chapter of Don't Leave Me. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own H2O just add water **

CHAPTER 5

Will's POV

"Will! I'm leaving now, Bella should be here in a few minutes!"

"Sis, I told you a thousand times. Bella DOESN'T need to come!"

"And I told you a thousand times that she was and would be no matter what you said, so give it up." She retorted.

I sighed, "Sophie, I'm not a baby; I don't need a babysitter!"

"Bella is NOT a babysitter; she's just here to make sure you don't have another nightmare tonight."

"I didn't have any problems last night; I'm sure I've gotten over it!" I protested.

She opened the door, "I'm not taking any chances; she'll be here soon, so stop being a pest." She hugged me lightly, and I hugged her back halfheartedly. Then she turned and left through the front door.

I groaned and shook my head. Arguing with Sophie was useless; I should have figured that out by now. At least I'd get an evening alone with Bella, even if she was my "babysitter" because no matter what Sophie said, that's what she was. I sighed and turned around. My eyes fell on my desk. It was a disaster zone. I had been researching a shell last night, and I kind of got carried away. I should probably clean some of this up, I thought to myself.

I had been rummaging through the papers for about ten minutes, trying to get some form of organization going but failing miserably when I heard a quiet knock on the front door.

"Hello?"

I turned quickly and saw Bella poking her head through the door.

"Hey," I said, walking over and kissing her lightly on the cheek. "How are you?"

"I'm good, how about you?" She looked at me seriously.

"I'm fine," I said, exasperated, "and I honestly don't see any reason for you to be here tonight."

"What!" She cried.

"No, no, I didn't mean it like that!" I said hastily, "I'm really glad you're here; I'm just saying that I would be fine even if you weren't here, which I'm very glad you are." I said all in one breath. Bella laughed.

"It's okay, I know what you meant. But honestly baby, I don't mind staying until Sophie gets home."

I smiled at her, "You're amazing; you know that?" I said warmly.

"You might have told me once or twice," she whispered. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her. We didn't break apart until I absolutely had to breathe, and I can once again hold my breath for a LONG time, so it was quite a while. When we did finally pull away from each other, I turned towards the kitchen and glanced at the microwave, reading the time.

"You know, it's almost seven. Do you want something to eat?" I asked.

"That would be great." She said. "Wait," She added suspiciously. "What exactly did you have in mind?" I chuckled.

"Relax, Sophie gave me instructions before she left." I held up my hand jokingly and began to count off my fingers.

"First I turn the stove on high. Then I put a pot of water on the stove and wait for the water to boil. Then I add some pasta, and let it cook for six minutes. The sauce is in a pot already on the stove. I pour it on top of the pasta and we eat." I finished proudly.

"Wow, you're all set now aren't you?" Bella joked.

"Well yeah," I teased. "So what do you say? You want to give my cooking a try?" I wiggled my eyebrows playfully.

She grinned and kissed me gently on the cheek. "I think I can be brave; where do you keep the pots?"

* * *

About an hour later, Bella and I had just finished the dishes. Dinner had actually turned out pretty good; I was even surprised. We were sitting on the couch, my arm around her shoulders.

"So, how have your past few nights been?" She asked. I sighed. I really hated when the subject turned to this. I know that everyone was just being considerate, but it was hard enough having to deal with nightmares almost every night; I really didn't need to be reminded of them every single second of the day too. I knew Bella was just asking because she cared however, so I tried to hide my annoyance.

"Last night was pretty good. I slept well and I didn't have a single dream that I could remember, but before that, I was still having the same dreams over and over again." I said shortly.

"Were they all about diving and water?" she asked quietly. I nodded.

"Are you sure you shouldn't be seeing someone about this?" She persisted, "You need to get sleep."

"Relax," I said calmly, pulling myself together as well as soothing her. "Remember, I was fine last night. I'm sure tonight will be the same."

"I hope so," She said softly, snuggling into my arms. I smiled and let myself relax, rubbing her shoulders gently.

"Do you want to watch TV or something?" I asked, looking down at her. She shrugged

"Anything's fine,"

"Okay then," I stood up and began searching for the control remotes. She snuggled against one of the pillows and frowned.

"Hurry back; it's not the same," she complained, smacking the pillow jokingly.

"I should hope not," I said, pretending to be offended.

"Whatever just pick something!" She whined teasingly.

I smiled good-naturedly and popped a DVD into the television. I grabbed the remote that I had finally unearthed under a pile of magazines and then reclaimed my place on the couch.

"That's better," she giggled, wriggling back under my arms. I laughed and tickled her waist.

"Stop! Stop it, you idiot!" she squealed, slapping my hands away.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," I apologized. I stopped and kissed her. She rolled her eyes and clicked the play button on the remote. I settle back into the couch and turned my attention to the movie. Or at least part of my attention, the rest was focused on Bella's reactions to the movie. She was so cute; she was more entertaining than any movie could ever be. Before I knew it, the ending credits were rolling on the screen and I had seen hardly any of the film. Bella yawned sleepily.

"Ready for bed?" She asked. I didn't respond.

"Will, Will! Are you listening?"

I shook my head and came back to reality. "Yeah of course," I lied.

She laughed, "no you weren't; honestly, did you watch any of the movie?"

I huffed, "of course I did,"

"Oh yeah? What was it about?"

"Oh well, it was about…um…well, there was this…uhh…"

"Uh huh," she said skeptically.

I laughed and stood up, stretching my arms and arching my back. "What time is it?" I yawned.

She glanced at the clock, "almost 11; we should probably get to bed, Sophie said I could use her room, okay?"

I shrugged, "sounds good to me––unless you had other ideas," I added teasingly, wiggling my eyebrows at her.

"Okay, that does it!" She shrieked, grabbing a pillow and whacking me over the head with it.

"Okay, Okay, I'm sorry!" I laughed, but she pretended not to hear me and got up off the couch, chasing me around the room with her pillow, delivering a few smacks every time she go close enough.

"Hey! Okay, that's enough!" I shouted, laughing and out of breath. She stopped, and pushed me against the wall. I stared into her eyes and she stood on her tiptoes and kissed me. I deepened the kiss and wrapped my hands around her waist. She reached up and tangled her fingers in my hair, sending tingles down my spine. My fingers traced patterns on her hips as she pressed herself against me. I finally broke off reluctantly, realizing that if the kiss got any hotter, we might be in trouble. She smiled knowingly at me as I pulled away; she got it too. I leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"Good-night sweetheart," I murmured, stroking her hair.

She hugged me, "Good-night babe, sleep well."

Bella's POV

After Will said goodnight I went to Sophie's room and opened my overnight bag. I quickly slipped into the pajama shorts and over-sized T-shirt that I had brought and grabbed my toothbrush. Being extra careful not to get any water on my face, I brushed my teeth in the bathroom at the end of the hall. On my way back to my room, I paused outside of Will's.

I heard him walking around; everything sounded normal. I quickly tiptoed back into my room and left the door ajar so that if anything was to happen, I would be able to hear. I pulled down the sheets and crawled under the covers, too worried to sleep, but too tired to stay awake, yet I tried to for as long as I could. Finally it was too much, and I let my eyelids shut, drifting into a troubled sleep.

I don't know how long I slept, but I awoke to a muffled sound coming from the next room. I sat up straight in bed, ears alert to any more sounds.

I heard it again. It was definitely coming from Will's room. I tried not to panic; he could just be snoring or something, but I needed to find out. I threw off my blankets and walked quickly out into the hallway. The closer I got, the louder the sounds, and they didn't sound like snoring to me. I pulled Will's door open and dashed inside. I heard a muffled cry come from the direction of the bed, and I fumbled for a light switch, finally flicking on a small lamp. Will was thrashing around on his bed, sweat beads on his forehead, and moaning unintelligible things every few seconds. I ran to his side and began to shake his shoulder desperately.

"Will, baby, please, wake up!" I cried, giving his shoulder another shake. He cried out and his eyes flew open. They were wild with fright, and he looked confused for a moment. He grasped my hand so hard that it was starting to hurt, but I refrained from pulling away.

"It's okay," I murmured softly, "Everything's okay; it was just a dream." I rubbed his arm comfortingly with my free hand, and his grip on my other loosened a bit.

"Not again," he groaned in disappointment, "No, I thought…" his voiced trailed off as he squeezed his eyes shut.

I sighed, "Was it the same dream as always?"

He nodded, shaking slightly.

"I don't feel so good," he mumbled, placing a hand on his stomach, "my stomach kind of hurts."

"Do you want some water?" I asked, concerned.

"Yeah," he murmured.

"Okay, I'll be right back," I assured him, getting up and heading for the kitchen. I quickly fumbled for a glass and filled it with water from the tap. I carried it carefully back to Will's room and handed it to him. He took a long sip, still holding his stomach with his other hand. I waited until he had finished and had placed the glass on the night table beside his bed before I took his hand in mine.

"Feel any better?" I whispered, intertwining my fingers with his. He shook his head.

"Maybe a little," he said finally, "I'm just so tired of this; I want to stop reliving it over and over again!" He cried, exasperated.

"I know sweetie, I know, just hang in there, okay?" I said soothingly, leaning forward to give him a kiss on the forehead. He looked upset.

"Hold me? Please?" He whispered hoarsely, looking up at me. I looked at him warily.

"I don't know…" I began apprehensively.

"_Please_," he begged, looking at me pleadingly. I sighed.

"Oh all right, move over," I said grudgingly. He smiled weakly and obligingly scooted over to make room for me beside him. I slide down next to him and pulled the covers over my shoulders. I rested my head on his chest and wrapped my arms around him. I could feel his heart hammering double time and he was still shaking.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I whispered, turning my head to look at him. He hugged me tightly.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, now that you're here." He murmured sleepily, kissing my hair. I smiled and snuggled into his arms. He sighed, and when I looked up next, his eyes were closed, and he was breathing calmly; he was fast asleep. I closed my eyes too; I was so tired. I fell asleep immediately; able to rest now that I was sure Will was safe.

**A/N: Awwww! Isn't that cute! :) Just to clarify, Will is wearing sweats and is shirtless and Bella obviously still has on her pajamas. NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN! THIS STORY IS STILL A VERY VERY LIGHT "T" RATING! Oh and yeah, I had to change the rating because of the suggestions and the "awareness" of the couple toward certain situations in this chapter…and because I'm paranoid. Thank you so much for reading this chapter; I hope you enjoyed it! It was really long now that I check the word count, over 2,200 words! NICE! :) If I get enough reviews I might update again this weekend…it all depends mi amigos! LOL hahaha! :-D**

**Ella**


	6. Chapter 6: Nothing Without You

**A/N: This is chapter 6! Yay! I can't believe that this story already has six chapters and I've gotten so many reviews and PMs, I didn't realize that people would like it so much, wow… well here's my latest update. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own H2O just add water – I own H2o just add Apple Juice! LOL no really it's this really cool show where there are these three girls and ten seconds after they touch apple juice they…**

**I'm an idiot and I know it; go ahead and read the chapter; don't mind me…:)**

CHAPTER 5

Bella's POV:

"Have you got everything?" I called from out the door, turning back to wait for Will.

"Yeah, I think so," he replied, coming out the door, his arms full.

"Oh, I'm sorry, here let me take some of that," I said, reaching for a few things,"

"Thanks," he gasped, catching his breath, "Come on we're going to be late, what's taking you so long?" He teased, copying my words and expression perfectly.

"Hey!" I pretended to be offended, glaring at him. Will turned and kissed me on the cheek, "Come on baby," he whined jokingly.

"You idiot," I kissed him back, "okay let's go,"

We got to the pier in a few minutes, Sophie was already there; she had come straight from work. This was going to be Will's first dive since the accident. He appeared enthusiastic about it all; I was just glad the things were finally getting back to normal. Although we didn't talk about it, I knew that Will was still having nightmares. We hoped that this dive would put a stop to them once and for all.

We finally were out on the water; all of us had come, Zane had brought Rikki and Rikki had invited Cleo. Then obviously there was Sophie and I.

"Will, we're almost out far enough; I think you'd better start getting ready." Sophie said after we had been out for about half an hour, handing Will his equipment.

Will nodded and took the stuff from her, stepping into the back of the boat to change. I watched his face closely as he turned to leave. Ever since we had gotten further and further out he had seemed to get quieter and quieter. I wondered if something was wrong. I tried to shake the feeling, not wanting to jinx the rest of the day, but I couldn't help it.

Fifteen minutes had gone by. Will was still in the cabin, and Sophie had just finished letting the rope with the marked balloons down into the water.

"I wonder what's taking him so long," she said curiously. "Zane, will you go and see if he's okay?"

Zane didn't answer. I looked up and saw him making out with Rikki by the side of the boat. Sophie shook her head in disgust. I laughed.

"We should totally push them in," I commented to Cleo. She giggled and playfully wagged her finger at me. I chuckled and returned my attention to Sophie, who was still trying to get Zane to pay attention.

"Zane, _ZANE!_"

He reluctantly broke away from Rikki and turned to Sophie.

"What?" He asked annoyed, "Can't you see I'm busy?"

Rikki giggled and Sophie rolled her eyes.

"I said: _go and see if Will's okay_, he's been getting changed forever." She said exasperated. Zane looked at her in disbelief.

"You mean you seriously interrupted me just so I could go and see if fishboy needs help getting into his wetsuit?"

Rikki groaned. "Zane let it go. Go on and do like she said."

Zane grinned at her, "Okay, but when I'm done, we're picking up right where we left off!"

Rikki shook her finger at him, "if your lucky," she teased, kissing him on the nose, causing him to become momentarily hypnotized. "Now go." She ordered.

Zane shook himself and nodded, "right," he said, heading towards the cabin. Rikki walked over to where Cleo and I were sitting and plopped down beside us.

"Soooo," Cleo began teasingly, "I guess things seem to be going well between you and Zane, huh?"

I feigned shock, 5289 "Oh Cleo, where would you ever get that impression!" I said in a fake shocked voice. Rikki glared at us for a few seconds, but she couldn't resist and soon she was laughing hysterically along with us. A few seconds later I saw Zane come out of the cabin with a worried look on his face. I stopped laughing and listened anxiously as he talked to Sophie.

"I don't know what's wrong with him; he seemed fine when we just got on the boat, but now he's pacing back and forth in there like a caged animal. When I asked him what was wrong he said nothing at first, and then he said it was a headache. When I suggested he not dive, he seemed almost pleased, but then said that he should." Sophie looked worried and headed for the cabin. A few minutes later she walked out looking both worried and confused.

"I don't get it either, he claims that he feels fine, but I can tell that something's bothering him. Whenever I mention the dive, he changes his expression to look enthusiastic so fast it almost like he's putting on an act." She sighed, "I don't know whether I should let him go ahead and dive or not."

Cleo nudged me, "If there's anyone Will will talk to, it's you Bella," she said.

I looked at them doubtfully. "If he won't even come clean with his sister…I don't know,"

Rikki rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, don't be ridiculous, he'll tell you anything, now go on!"

I decided that she was probably right, and then stood up and turned to Sophie.

"Sophie, let me talk to him, maybe I can figure out what's going on,"

She looked at me and shrugged. "You could try; he's got us stumped," I nodded and stepped into the cabin, shutting the door behind me.

"Will?" I said, walking into the small space. He was sitting on the other side, his head in his hands. "Are you alright?" I said walking over to him quickly and sitting down next to him. He jumped in surprise and smiled down at me with a smile that was so fake it was ridiculous.

"Of course I'm alright," he said, chuckling nervously, "why wouldn't I be?"

I stared at him, "Just one thing," I said.

"And what's that?"

"Exactly how stupid do you think I am?" I said shortly. "You honestly expect me to believe that everything's fine? Really?" He looked at me for a second and then immediately dropped the smile and sighed.

"I should've know," he said. "I can fool Zane; I can even fool Sophie, but there's no way I can fool you, is there?"

I shook my head soundlessly. "Will, what's bothering you?" I asked quietly. He was silent for several seconds.

"It's so stupid," he said finally, clenching and unclenching his fists in frustration. I didn't say anything; I just waited.

"I'm scared," he said, almost to soft for me to hear. Then everything all began to fall into place.

"Scared? That the same thing that happened last time will happen again?" I said slowly.

"Yeah," he responded, not looking at me, "pretty dumb huh?"

My face twisted with sympathy. I placed my hand under his chin and gently lifted his face where I could look into his eyes.

"No, it's not stupid, or dumb," I said firmly. "It's perfectly natural for you to be afraid after what happened; a life or death experience is nothing to joke about."

He averted his eyes away from mine and didn't say anything.

"You're afraid, but you still want to dive, right?" I said finally.

He nodded, "It's just that when I think about diving, the first thing that comes into my mind is my dreams." He shook his head, "I don't think I can do this." He whispered.

I placed my hand on top of his. "Of course you can't," I said slowly, thinking.

"Huh?" he said, confused,

"Of course you can't," I continued, "alone anyway."

He shook his head, "I don't get it."

"It's simple; I'll dive with you. Sophie already knows about me, so there's nothing to worry about; we're far enough out to sea that we're not going to run into anybody else, and if something does go wrong – which it won't," I added quickly, "I'll be there to help."

"You'd actually do that? Dive with me?" He asked, sounding hopeful.

"Of course I would," I said with a smiled, "I'm your girlfriend silly, and we used to dive all the time. This time will be no different." Will smiled the first genuine smile I'd seen on his face since we left the pier. He leaned forward and kissed me gently.

"So I guess that means that you'll dive, right?" I murmured in between kisses.

"Uh huh," Will mumbled, focusing all his attention on nuzzling my neck as I ran my fingers through his hair. Just then the door opened.

"Hey, is everything okay? It's been awhile…" Sophie's voice trailed off as she saw us kissing. "Oh come on!" She cried, causing Will and I to break apart laughing.

"Really, I have enough to deal with Rikki and Zane, I don't need you two and your PDA added to the picture!" She snapped indignantly, placing her hands on her hips.

"Sorry sis," Will said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You should be," she huffed. "Anyway," she continued, "Do you still have a headache? Because if you do, I think it would be better if you skipped the dive today." She looked at me as if questioning what had gone on between Will and I before she had…errr…_interrupted_ us. I smiled and nodded just as Will said,

"You know what? It seems to have disappeared mysteriously." He smiled nervously. "I'll be ready soon." He said as he stood up and started gathering his things.

"Um…okay…" Sophie said, surprised. "I'll have everything ready out on deck. Take your time; no rush." She left and I followed her outside. Immediately after we were out of the cabin, she pulled me aside.

"How did you do it?" She asked, looking at me in awe. "What did you say to him? Is he okay?"

"I don't think I did anything; he's just scared Sophie, that's all." Her face lit up with understanding.

"Why didn't I think of that?" She exclaimed, rubbing her forehead wearily with her palm. "It's so obvious! I was just so caught up with work, and with getting ready for today and…"

"It wasn't that obvious," I consoled, "he was doing a pretty good job of pretending until we got onboard; he even had me fooled until I actually went and talked to him."

"I guess so…" Sophie admitted, "but if he's scared," she asked curiously, "how did you get him to dive?"

I shrugged, "I just said that I'd dive with him." She looked confused.

"Wait, what…Oh right!" She cried remembering. "That's a perfect idea." Just then Will immerged from the cabin, looking calm and collected. Sophie turned away from me and faced him.

"Did you do all your breathing exercises?" She asked firmly.

His face tightened slightly. I flashed him a reassuring glance and he turned to Sophie and nodded, "All of them," he said,

"Okay then, I guess we're ready." She said, handing Will his goggles. "Lets go."

I walked over to Cleo and Zane while Sophie was having some last minute words with Will.

"Well?" Cleo said, "What's going on?"

"I'm diving with him." I said, "He's freaked out about going down again, but he knows he needs too, so I said I'd go with him."

"That's a good idea," Rikki said, nodding her head. "He just needs to get his confidence back." We talked for a few seconds more and then I heard Sophie call me.

"Bella, are you ready?"

I nodded and then smiled at Will. "All set!" I called. Will lowered himself into the water carefully and then waited for me to come in.

"Wish us luck," I whispered to the girls as I headed for the side of the boat. In one fluid motion I dived off the side and into the water. In the required ten seconds I changed. I surfaced and looked back up at the boat. Sophie had her mouth wide open.

"Wow…" she breathed.

I laughed. That's right; she hadn't seen me with my tail since the accident.

"That's amazing," she said in awe as I stretched out to give her the full view.

"You ready Will?" I said, turning to my boyfriend.

"I think so," he said, adjusting his goggles. I paddled a little closer.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. I'll be right beside you all the way." I said encouragingly. Then I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Now, let's do this!"

Will took a deep breath and turned and flipped under the water. I followed close after. We steadily began to paddle down the rope, swimming in smooth motions. We hit the thirty-meter mark. I saw him pause momentarily. He lifted his head and looked at me for an instant, and then continued down the line. I was slightly surprised, but I followed him. When he passed the forty-meter mark, I felt a little concerned and I was almost ready to make him head for the surface, but I restrained myself. Will knew what he was doing, and I shouldn't stop him. When he hit the fifty-meter mark, he finally reached for the balloon and released it, letting it float to the surface. He smiled broadly at me and motioned toward the surface. I nodded and grabbed his hand in mine, squeezing it encouragingly as we worked our way back to the boat.

At last we broke the surface. I cheer broke up from everyone on the boat. Will took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the much-needed oxygen. I shook the water out of my eyes and he flung his goggles off, slinging them over his arm. I laughed, and he grinned at me.

"You did it!" I squealed happily, paddling hard to stay afloat. He moved closer to me, pulling me into a tight embrace.

"No," he corrected gently, brushing my hair out of my eyes. "_We_ did it."

He kissed me softly. As we broke apart, he looked at me seriously.

"Promise me something," he said.

I smiled, "what is it?" I asked, curious.

"Don't ever leave me," He said in a rush. I looked at him in confusion, and he hurried to explain.

"I need you so much." He said, "The past few weeks have been some of the hardest in my life; I don't think I could have made it through them without you." He shook his head and laughed slightly. "I can't believe it took me this long to realize how little I am without you." He squeezed my hands, and I squeezed back, not knowing what to say.

"I need you." He repeated, "Promise me?"

I don't think I had ever loved him so much as I did then.

"I promise," I whispered shakily. He smiled just as shakily and pulled me into his chest. I couldn't breath for a few moments, but I didn't care. He let me loose after a few seconds, and then crashed his lips into mine. I grunted in surprise, but then kissed back. We broke apart a little while later, both of us gasping for breath. A chorus of "awws", groans, and a few claps came from the direction of the boat, along with a loud wolf whistle that could only have come from Zane. Will and I turned around and then looked back at each other.

"Uhh…I forget they were there," Will said, blushing furiously.

"So did I," I admitted, just realizing that our entire exchange had been in front of everybody.

"Maybe we should head back now?" I suggested, trying to keep a straight face. He nodded, grinning.

"Good idea."

So we turned, and slowly began to make our way back towards the boat. The flicks of my tail and his fin perfectly synchronized and our hands clasped.

* * *

**A/N: I'm sorry, but this really is the end! Don't worry though, I have ideas for another story similar to this one and I'll be posting it within the next few weeks. If you guys have any ideas or requests please review or PM me. I'm dedicating this final chapter to…. [Drum roll!]**

**Riverxboysxgirls! (Surprised Brooke? I thought you might like this!)**

**She's been a really awesome reviewer and has sent me really encouraging PMs. Not to mention she's put up with my recent obsession with Home & Away by answering all my questions about the show! Thanks so much Riverxboysxgirls! I hope you liked the chapter!**

**Also, thanks to EVERYBODY who has reviewed this story! I didn't expect it to become an actual story and I certainly didn't expect it to be so popular. Special thanks to:**

PeacePinkSeddie**: You were my very first review! The first review is always the most special; it's that shot in the dark that tells you that your story didn't suck! Thanks so much, I'm glad you liked it!**

Wella4Ever25**: You've been a great reviewer on everything! I love PMing with you and I'm so glad you like my stories. I love yours too! Thanks so much!**

Colemet D. Kickshrub**: You've been such a blessing over all this time. Your generous complements and encouragement on this story and on my others has just been so amazing to me! Thank you so much! :-)**

Liveonpurpose**: Another reviewer I've "met" before. Thanks for your support on this story and my others!**

CheddarFetta**: You sent me some really REALLY encouraging reviews about parts in the story that I was unsure about how well I had done. I don't forget things like that. Thank you so much, I also really love your stories AND your username! :) **

Quillcox**: I'm so glad you like this story and I'm thankful for your reviews on this one and my other ones. You're so nice! :)**

YugiohObsessed**: I opened my email one day and I saw that I had gotten four new reviews. It was so amazing to me that you reviewed EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER after you read it. I usually just read them all and leave one review for the whole thing! It made me feel so good; even one word can mean so much. Thank you! :)**

Dihydrogen Monoxide 800**: I know you only reviewed once, but your review was so encouraging that I had to say thanks! :) Thank you! :)**

**Thanks to everyone else who reviewed, favorited, alerted, or just READ it and liked it. It's crazy amazing to me. Thanks so much! Stay tuned for a new story! Luv ya! :)**

**Ella:)**

**P.S: Credit for the disclaimer goes to my BFF. She gave me the idea for this one and several others I have used! **

**P.P.S: 3,000 WORDS! ALRIGHT! :)**


	7. Chapter 7: AUTHORS NOTE

A/N: This is just a note to further ensure that this story is complete and to push it to the top of the fanbase archive so that my old stories under my old account can be moved down. The sequel for this story is up, as many of you already knew, but if you didn't, go check it out! :)

**Ella:)**


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